Handheld electronic device and associated method enabling the output of non-alphabetic characters in a disambiguation environment

ABSTRACT

A handheld electronic device includes a reduced QWERTY keyboard and is enabled with text disambiguation software. The device provides output in the form of a default output and a number of variants. The output is based largely upon the frequency, i.e., the likelihood that a user intended a particular output, but various features of the device provide additional variants that are not based solely on frequency and rather are provided by various logic structures resident on the device. The device includes a number of non-alphabetic characters that are assigned to keys and that can be accessed directly by the text disambiguation software without the need to active a non-alphabetic input routine or to additionally actuate and &lt;SHIFT&gt; key or an &lt;ALT&gt; key, for instance.

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The disclosed and claimed concept relates generally to handheldelectronic devices and, more particularly, to a handheld electronicdevice having a reduced keyboard and a text disambiguation function thatenable the outputting of non-alphabetic characters.

2. Background Information

Numerous types of handheld electronic devices are known. Examples ofsuch handheld electronic devices include, for instance, personal dataassistants (PDAs), handheld computers, two-way pagers, cellulartelephones, and the like. Many handheld electronic devices also featurewireless communication capability, although many such handheldelectronic devices are stand-alone devices that are functional withoutcommunication with other devices.

Such handheld electronic devices are generally intended to be portable,and thus are of a relatively compact configuration in which keys andother input structures often perform multiple functions under certaincircumstances or may otherwise have multiple aspects or featuresassigned thereto. With advances in technology, handheld electronicdevices are built to have progressively smaller form factors yet haveprogressively greater numbers of applications and features residentthereon. As a practical matter, the keys of a keypad can only be reducedto a certain small size before the keys become relatively unusable. Inorder to enable text entry, however, a keypad must be capable ofentering all twenty-six letters of the Latin alphabet, for instance, aswell as appropriate punctuation and other symbols.

One way of providing numerous letters, digits, and symbols in a smallspace has been to provide a “reduced keyboard” in which multipleletters, digits, and/or symbols, and the like, are assigned to any givenkey. For example, a touch-tone telephone includes a reduced keypad byproviding twelve keys, of which ten have digits thereon, and of theseten keys eight have Latin letters assigned thereto. For instance, one ofthe keys includes the digit “2” as well as the letters “A”, “B”, and“C”. Other known reduced keyboards have included other arrangements ofkeys, letters, symbols, digits, and the like. Since a single actuationof such a key potentially could be intended by the user to refer to anyof the letters “A”, “B”, and “C”, and potentially could also be intendedto refer to the digit “2”, the input generally is an ambiguous input andis in need of some type of disambiguation in order to be useful for textentry purposes.

In order to enable a user to make use of the multiple letters, digits,symbols, and the like assigned to any given key, numerous keystrokeinterpretation systems have been provided. For instance, a “multi-tap”system allows a user to substantially unambiguously specify a particularcharacter on a key by pressing the same key a number of times equivalentto the position of the desired character on the key. For example, on theaforementioned telephone key that includes the letters “ABC”, and theuser desires to specify the letter “C”, the user will press the keythree times. While such multi-tap systems have been generally effectivefor their intended purposes, they nevertheless can require a relativelylarge number of key inputs compared with the number of characters thatultimately are output.

Another exemplary keystroke interpretation system would include keychording, of which various types exist. For instance, a particularcharacter can be entered by pressing two keys in succession or bypressing and holding first key while pressing a second key. Stillanother exemplary keystroke interpretation system would be a“press-and-hold/press-and-release” interpretation function in which agiven key provides a first result if the key is pressed and immediatelyreleased, and provides a second result if the key is pressed and heldfor a short period of time. While they systems have likewise beengenerally effective for their intended purposes, such systems also havetheir own unique drawbacks.

Another keystroke interpretation system that has been employed is asoftware-based text disambiguation function. In such a system, a usertypically presses keys to which one or more characters have beenassigned, generally pressing each key one time for each desired letter,and the disambiguation software attempt to predict the intended input.Numerous such systems have been proposed, and while many have beengenerally effective for their intended purposes, shortcomings stillexist.

Specifically, previous software-based text disambiguation functionsprovide disambiguated text interpretations of inputs, i.e., theprocessing of an ambiguous input by a software-based text disambiguationfunction results in textual output. As mentioned above, however, manykeys have both alphabetic characters, i.e., letters, as well asnon-alphabetic characters such as digits, symbols, and the like. It thuswould be desirable to provide a software-based text disambiguationfunction that facilitates the output of non-alphabetic characters.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A full understanding of the disclosed and claimed concept can be gainedfrom the following Description when read in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an improved handheld electronic device inaccordance with the disclosed and claimed concept;

FIG. 2 is a schematic depiction of the improved handheld electronicdevice of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a schematic depiction of a portion of the handheld electronicdevice of FIG. 2;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are an exemplary flowchart depicting certain aspects ofa disambiguation function that can be executed on the handheldelectronic device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another exemplary flowchart depicting certain aspects of adisambiguation function that can be executed on the handheld electronicdevice by which certain output variants can be provided to the user;

FIG. 4A is another exemplary flowchart depicting certain aspects of adisambiguation function that can be executed on the handheld electronicdevice by which certain non-alphabetic outputs can be provided to theuser;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are another exemplary flowchart depicting certainaspects of the learning method that can be executed on the handheldelectronic device;

FIG. 6 is another exemplary flowchart depicting certain aspects of amethod by which various display formats that can be provided on thehandheld electronic device;

FIG. 7 is an exemplary output during a text entry operation;

FIG. 8 is another exemplary output during another part of the text entryoperation;

FIG. 9 is another exemplary output during another part of the text entryoperation;

FIG. 10 is another exemplary output during another part of the textentry operation;

FIG. 11 is an exemplary output on the handheld electronic device duringanother text entry operation;

FIG. 12 is an exemplary output that can be provided in an instance whenthe disambiguation function of the handheld electronic device has beendisabled;

FIG. 13 is an exemplary output during a data entry operation;

FIG. 14 is another exemplary output during the data entry operation;

FIG. 15 is another exemplary output during the data entry operation;

FIG. 16 is another exemplary output during the data entry operation;

FIG. 17 is another exemplary output during the data entry operation;

FIG. 18 is an exemplary output during another data entry operation;

FIG. 19 is an exemplary output during yet another data entry operation;

FIG. 20 is a top plan view of an improved handheld electronic device inaccordance with another embodiment of the disclosed and claimed concept;

FIG. 21 depicts an exemplary menu that can be output on the handheldelectronic device of FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 depicts another exemplary menu;

FIG. 23 depicts an exemplary reduced menu;

FIG. 24 is an exemplary output such as could occur during a text entryor text editing operation;

FIG. 25 is an exemplary output during a text entry operation;

FIG. 26 is an alternative exemplary output during a text entryoperation;

FIG. 27 is another exemplary output during a part of text entryoperation; and

FIG. 28 is an exemplary output during a data entry operation.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the specification.

DESCRIPTION

An improved handheld electronic device 4 is indicated generally in FIG.1 and is depicted schematically in FIG. 2. The exemplary handheldelectronic device 4 includes a housing 6 upon which are disposed aprocessor unit that includes an input apparatus 8, an output apparatus12, a processor 16, a memory 20, and at least a first routine. Theprocessor and the memory 20 can be said to together form a processorapparatus. The processor 16 may be, for instance, and withoutlimitation, a microprocessor (μP) and is responsive to inputs from theinput apparatus 8 and provides output signals to the output apparatus12. The processor 16 also interfaces with the memory 20. Examples ofhandheld electronic devices are included in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,452,588 and6,489,950, which are incorporated by reference herein.

As can be understood from FIG. 1, the input apparatus 8 includes akeypad 24 and a thumbwheel 32. As will be described in greater detailbelow, the keypad 24 is in the exemplary form of a reduced QWERTYkeyboard including a plurality of keys 28 that serve as input members.It is noted, however, that the keypad 24 may be of other configurations,such as an AZERTY keyboard, a QWERTZ keyboard, or other keyboardarrangement, whether presently known or unknown, and either reduced ornot reduced. In this regard, the expression “reduced” and variationsthereof, in the context of a keyboard, a keypad, or other arrangement ofinput members, shall refer broadly to an arrangement in which at leastone of the input members has assigned thereto a plurality of characterswithin a given set, such as a plurality of letters, for example, in theset of Latin letters, for example, thereby rendering ambiguous anintended result of an actuation of the at least one of the inputmembers.

In this regard, and as will be set forth below in greater detail, thesystem architecture of the handheld electronic device 4 advantageouslyis organized to be operable independent of the specific layout of thekeypad 24. Accordingly, the system architecture of the handheldelectronic device 4 can be employed in conjunction with virtually anykeypad layout substantially without requiring any meaningful change inthe system architecture. It is further noted that certain of thefeatures set forth herein are usable on either or both of a reducedkeyboard and a non-reduced keyboard.

The keys 28 are disposed on a front face of the housing 6, and thethumbwheel 32 is disposed at a side of the housing 6. The thumbwheel 32can serve as another input member and is both rotatable, as is indicatedby the arrow 34, to provide selection inputs to the processor 16, andalso can be pressed in a direction generally toward the housing 6, as isindicated by the arrow 38, to provide another selection input to theprocessor 16.

Among the keys 28 of the keypad 24 are a <NEXT> key 40 and an <ENTER>key 44. The <NEXT> key 40 can be pressed to provide a selection input tothe processor 16 and provides substantially the same selection input asis provided by a rotational input of the thumbwheel 32. Since the <NEXT>key 40 is provided adjacent a number of the other keys 28 of the keypad24, the user can provide a selection input to the processor 16substantially without moving the user's hands away from the keypad 24during a text entry operation. As will be described in greater detailbelow, the <NEXT> key 40 additionally and advantageously includes agraphic 42 disposed thereon, and in certain circumstances the outputapparatus 12 also displays a displayed graphic 46 thereon to identifythe <NEXT> key 40 as being able to provide a selection input to theprocessor 16. In this regard, the displayed graphic 46 of the outputapparatus 12 is substantially similar to the graphic 42 on the <NEXT>key and thus identifies the <NEXT> key 40 as being capable of providinga desirable selection input to the processor 16.

As can further be seen in FIG. 1, many of the keys 28 include a numberof characters 48 disposed thereon. As employed herein, the expression “anumber of” and variations thereof shall refer broadly to any quantity,including a quantity of one. In the exemplary depiction of the keypad24, many of the keys 28 have assigned thereto at least two characters,such as including a first alphabetic character 52 and a secondalphabetic character 56 assigned thereto. Some of the keys 28additionally have assigned thereto one or more non-alphabetic characterssuch as a numeric character 53 and/or a symbol character 55. It isunderstood that the expression “symbol” shall broadly be construedherein to include punctuation marks such as the period (.), theexclamation point (!), the question mark (?), the apostrophe (′), thecomma (,), and the like without limitation, and other marks such as theampersand (&), the dash (−), the plus (+), and the like withoutlimitation, it being generally understood that a symbol charactertypically will be a character that is non-alphabetic and non-numeric,although exceptions to this rule are possible.

One of the keys 28 of the keypad 24 includes as the characters 48thereof the letters “Q” and “W”, and an adjacent key 28 includes as thecharacters 48 thereof the letters “E” and “R”. It can be seen that thearrangement of the characters 48 on the keys 28 of the keypad 24 isgenerally of a QWERTY arrangement, albeit with many of the keys 28including two of the characters 48.

The output apparatus 12 includes a display 60 upon which can be providedan output 64. An exemplary output 64 is depicted on the display 60 inFIG. 1. The output 64 includes a text component 68 and a variantcomponent 72. The variant component 72 includes a default portion 76 anda variant portion 80. The display also includes a caret 84 that depictsgenerally where the next input from the input apparatus 8 will bereceived.

The text component 68 of the output 64 provides a depiction of thedefault portion 76 of the output 64 at a location on the display 60where the text is being input. The variant component 72 is disposedgenerally in the vicinity of the text component 68 and provides, inaddition to the default proposed output 76, a depiction of the variousalternate text choices, i.e., alternates to the default proposed output76, that are proposed by an input disambiguation function in response toan input sequence of key actuations of the keys 28.

As will be described in greater detail below, the default portion 76 isproposed by the disambiguation function as being the most likelydisambiguated interpretation of the ambiguous input provided by theuser. The variant portion 80 includes a predetermined quantity ofalternate proposed interpretations of the same ambiguous input fromwhich the user can select, if desired. The displayed graphic 46typically is provided in the variant component 72 in the vicinity of thevariant portion 80, although it is understood that the displayed graphic46 could be provided in other locations and in other fashions withoutdeparting from the disclosed and claimed concept. It is also noted thatthe exemplary variant portion 80 is depicted herein as extendingvertically below the default portion 76, but it is understood thatnumerous other arrangements could be provided without departing from thedisclosed and claimed concept.

Among the keys 28 of the keypad 24 additionally is a <DELETE> key 86that can be provided to delete a text entry. As will be described ingreater detail below, the <DELETE> key 86 can also be employed inproviding an alternation input to the processor 16 for use by thedisambiguation function.

The memory 20 is depicted schematically in FIG. 2A. The memory 20 can besaid to constitute a machine-readable medium and can be any of a varietyof types of internal and/or external storage media such as, withoutlimitation, RAM, ROM, EPROM(s), EEPROM(s), and the like that provide astorage register for data storage such as in the fashion of an internalstorage area of a computer, and can be volatile memory or nonvolatilememory. The memory 20 additionally includes a number of routinesdepicted generally with the numeral 22 for the processing of data. Theroutines 22 can be in any of a variety of forms such as, withoutlimitation, software, firmware, and the like. As will be explained ingreater detail below, the routines 22 include the aforementioneddisambiguation function as an application, as well as other routines.

As can be understood from FIG. 2A, the memory 20 additionally includesdata stored and/or organized in a number of tables, sets, lists, and/orotherwise. Specifically, the memory 20 includes a generic word list 88,a new words database 92, and a frequency learning database 96. Storedwithin the various areas of the memory 20 are a number of languageobjects 100 and frequency objects 104. The language objects 100generally are each associated with an associated frequency object 104.The language objects 100 include a plurality of word objects 108 and aplurality of N-gram objects 112. The word objects 108 are generallyrepresentative of complete words within the language or custom wordsstored in the memory 20. For instance, if the language stored in thememory is, for example, English, generally each word object 108 wouldrepresent a word in the English language or would represent a customword.

Associated with substantially each word object 108 is a frequency object104 having frequency value that is indicative of the relative frequencywithin the relevant language of the given word represented by the wordobject 108. In this regard, the generic word list 88 includes a corpusof word objects 108 and associated frequency objects 104 that togetherare representative of a wide variety of words and their relativefrequency within a given vernacular of, for instance, a given language.The generic word list 88 can be derived in any of a wide variety offashions, such as by analyzing numerous texts and other language sourcesto determine the various words within the language sources as well astheir relative probabilities, i.e., relative frequencies, of occurrencesof the various words within the language sources.

The N-gram objects 112 stored within the generic word list 88 are shortstrings of characters within the relevant language typically, forexample, one to three characters in length, and typically represent wordfragments within the relevant language, although certain of the N-gramobjects 112 additionally can themselves be words. However, to the extentthat an N-gram object 112 also is a word within the relevant language,the same word likely would be separately stored as a word object 108within the generic word list 88. As employed herein, the expression“string” and variations thereof shall refer broadly to an object havingone or more characters or components, and can refer to any of a completeword, a fragment of a word, a custom word or expression, and the like.

In the present exemplary embodiment of the handheld electronic device 4,the N-gram objects 112 include 1-gram objects, i.e., string objects thatare one character in length, 2-gram objects, i.e., string objects thatare two characters in length, and 3-gram objects, i.e., string objectsthat are three characters in length, all of which are collectivelyreferred to as N-grams 112. Substantially each N-gram object 112 in thegeneric word list 88 is similarly associated with an associatedfrequency object 104 stored within the generic word list 88, but thefrequency object 104 associated with a given N-gram object 112 has afrequency value that indicates the relative probability that thecharacter string represented by the particular N-gram object 112 existsat any location within any word of the relevant language. The N-gramobjects 112 and the associated frequency objects 104 are a part of thecorpus of the generic word list 88 and are obtained in a fashion similarto the way in which the word object 108 and the associated frequencyobjects 104 are obtained, although the analysis performed in obtainingthe N-gram objects 112 will be slightly different because it willinvolve analysis of the various character strings within the variouswords instead of relying primarily on the relative occurrence of a givenword.

The present exemplary embodiment of the handheld electronic device 4,with its exemplary language being the English language, includestwenty-six 1-gram N-gram objects 112, i.e., one 1-gram object for eachof the twenty-six letters in the Latin alphabet upon which the Englishlanguage is based, and further includes 676 2-gram N-gram objects 112,i.e., twenty-six squared, representing each two-letter permutation ofthe twenty-six letters within the Latin alphabet.

The N-gram objects 112 also include a certain quantity of 3-gram N-gramobjects 112, primarily those that have a relatively high frequencywithin the relevant language. The exemplary embodiment of the handheldelectronic device 4 includes fewer than all of the three-letterpermutations of the twenty-six letters of the Latin alphabet due toconsiderations of data storage size, and also because the 2-gram N-gramobjects 112 can already provide a meaningful amount of informationregarding the relevant language. As will be set forth in greater detailbelow, the N-gram objects 112 and their associated frequency objects 104provide frequency data that can be attributed to character strings forwhich a corresponding word object 108 cannot be identified or has notbeen identified, and typically is employed as a fallback data source,although this need not be exclusively the case.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the language objects 100 and thefrequency objects 104 are maintained substantially inviolate in thegeneric word list 88, meaning that the basic language corpus remainssubstantially unaltered within the generic word list 88, and thelearning functions that are provided by the handheld electronic device 4and that are described below operate in conjunction with other objectthat are generally stored elsewhere in memory 20, such as, for example,in the new words database 92 and the frequency learning database 96.

The new words database 92 and the frequency learning database 96 storeadditional word objects 108 and associated frequency objects 104 inorder to provide to a user a customized experience in which words andthe like that are used relatively more frequently by a user will beassociated with relatively higher frequency values than might otherwisebe reflected in the generic word list 88. More particularly, the newwords database 92 includes word objects 108 that are user-defined andthat generally are not found among the word objects 108 of the genericword list 88. Each word object 108 in the new words database 92 hasassociated therewith an associated frequency object 104 that is alsostored in the new words database 92. The frequency learning database 96stores word objects 108 and associated frequency objects 104 that areindicative of relatively more frequent usage of such words by a userthan would be reflected in the generic word list 88. As such, the newwords database 92 and the frequency learning database 96 provide twolearning functions, that is, they together provide the ability to learnnew words as well the ability to learn altered frequency values forknown words.

FIGS. 3A and 3B depicts in an exemplary fashion the general operation ofcertain aspects of the disambiguation function of the handheldelectronic device 4. Additional features, functions, and the like aredepicted and described elsewhere.

An input is detected, as at 204, and the input can be any type ofactuation or other operation as to any portion of the input apparatus 8.A typical input would include, for instance, an actuation of a key 28having a number of characters 48 thereon, or any other type of actuationor manipulation of the input apparatus 8.

Upon detection at 204 of an input, a timer is reset at 208. The use ofthe timer will be described in greater detail below.

The disambiguation function then determines, as at 212, whether thecurrent input is an operational input, such as a selection input, adelimiter input, a movement input, an alternation input, or, forinstance, any other input that does not constitute an actuation of a key28 having a number of characters 48 thereon. If the input is determinedat 212 to not be an operational input, processing continues at 216 byadding the input to the current input sequence which may or may notalready include an input.

Many of the inputs detected at 204 are employed in generating inputsequences as to which the disambiguation function will be executed. Aninput sequence is build up in each “session” with each actuation of akey 28 having a number of characters 48 thereon. Since an input sequencetypically will be made up of at least one actuation of a key 28 having aplurality of characters 48 thereon, the input sequence will beambiguous. When a word, for example, is completed the current session isended and a new session is initiated.

An input sequence is gradually built up on the handheld electronicdevice 4 with each successive actuation of a key 28 during any givensession. Specifically, once a delimiter input is detected during anygiven session, the session is terminated and a new session is initiated.Each input resulting from an actuation of one of the keys 28 having anumber of the characters 48 associated therewith is sequentially addedto the current input sequence. As the input sequence grows during agiven session, the disambiguation function generally is executed witheach actuation of a key 28, i.e., and input, and as to the entire inputsequence. Stated otherwise, within a given session, the growing inputsequence is attempted to be disambiguated as a unit by thedisambiguation function with each successive actuation of the variouskeys 28.

Once a current input representing a most recent actuation of the one ofthe keys 28 having a number of the characters 48 assigned thereto hasbeen added to the current input sequence within the current session, asat 216 in FIG. 3A, the disambiguation function generates, as at 220,substantially all of the permutations of the characters 48 assigned tothe various keys 28 that were actuated in generating the input sequence.In this regard, the “permutations” refer to the various strings that canresult from the characters 48 of each actuated key 28 limited by theorder in which the keys 28 were actuated. The various permutations ofthe characters in the input sequence are employed as prefix objects.

For instance, if the current input sequence within the current sessionis the ambiguous input of the keys <AS> and <OP>, the variouspermutations of the first character 52 and the second character 56 ofeach of the two keys 28, when considered in the sequence in which thekeys 28 were actuated, would be “SO”, “SP”, “AP”, and “AO”, and each ofthese is a prefix object that is generated, as at 220, with respect tothe current input sequence. As will be explained in greater detailbelow, the disambiguation function seeks to identify for each prefixobject one of the word objects 108 for which the prefix object would bea prefix.

For each generated prefix object, the memory 20 is consulted, as at 224,to identify, if possible, for each prefix object one of the word objects108 in the memory 20 that corresponds with the prefix object, meaningthat the sequence of letters represented by the prefix object would beeither a prefix of the identified word object 108 or would besubstantially identical to the entirety of the word object 108. Furtherin this regard, the word object 108 that is sought to be identified isthe highest frequency word object 108. That is, the disambiguationfunction seeks to identify the word object 108 that corresponds with theprefix object and that also is associated with a frequency object 104having a relatively higher frequency value than any of the otherfrequency objects 104 associated with the other word objects 108 thatcorrespond with the prefix object.

It is noted in this regard that the word objects 108 in the generic wordlist 88 are generally organized in data tables that correspond with thefirst two letters of various words. For instance, the data tableassociated with the prefix “CO” would include all of the words such as“CODE”, “COIN”, “COMMUNICATION”, and the like. Depending upon thequantity of word objects 108 within any given data table, the data tablemay additionally include sub-data tables within which word objects 108are organized by prefixes that are three characters or more in length.Continuing onward with the foregoing example, if the “CO” data tableincluded, for instance, more than 256 word objects 108, the “CO” datatable would additionally include one or more sub-data tables of wordobjects 108 corresponding with the most frequently appearingthree-letter prefixes. By way of example, therefore, the “CO” data tablemay also include a “COM” sub-data table and a “CON” sub-data table. If asub-data table includes more than the predetermined number of wordobjects 108, for example a quantity of 256, the sub-data table mayinclude further sub-data tables, such as might be organized according toa four letter prefixes. It is noted that the aforementioned quantity of256 of the word objects 108 corresponds with the greatest numericalvalue that can be stored within one byte of the memory 20.

Accordingly, when, at 224, each prefix object is sought to be used toidentify a corresponding word object 108, and for instance the instantprefix object is “AP”, the “AP” data table will be consulted. Since allof the word objects 108 in the “AP” data table will correspond with theprefix object “AP”, the word object 108 in the “AP” data table withwhich is associated a frequency object 104 having a frequency valuerelatively higher than any of the other frequency objects 104 in the“AP” data table is identified. The identified word object 108 and theassociated frequency object 104 are then stored in a result registerthat serves as a result of the various comparisons of the generatedprefix objects with the contents of the memory 20.

It is noted that one or more, or possibly all, of the prefix objectswill be prefix objects for which a corresponding word object 108 is notidentified in the memory 20. Such prefix objects are considered to beorphan prefix objects and are separately stored or are otherwiseretained for possible future use. In this regard, it is noted that manyor all of the prefix objects can become orphan object if, for instance,the user is trying to enter a new word or, for example, if the user hasmis-keyed and no word corresponds with the mis-keyed input.

Once the result has been obtained at 224, the disambiguation functiondetermines, as at 228, whether artificial variants should be generated.In order to determine the need for artificial variants, the process at228 branches, as at 230, to the artificial variant process depictedgenerally in FIG. 4 and beginning with the numeral 304. Thedisambiguation function then determines, as at 308, whether any of theprefix objects in the result correspond with what had been the defaultoutput 76 prior to detection of the current key input. If a prefixobject in the result corresponds with the previous default output, thismeans that the current input sequence corresponds with a word object 108and, necessarily, the previous default output also corresponded with aword object 108 during the previous disambiguation cycle within thecurrent session.

The next point of analysis is to determine, as at 310, whether theprevious default output was made the default output because of aselection input, such as would have caused the setting of a flag, suchas at 254 of FIG. 3B, discussed in greater detail below. In the eventthat the previous default output was not the result of a selectioninput, no artificial variants are needed, and the process returns, as at312, to the main process at 232. However, if it is determined at 310that the previous default output was the result of a selection input,then artificial variants are generated, as at 316.

More specifically, each of the artificial variants generated at 316include the previous default output plus one of the characters 48assigned to the key 28 of the current input. As such, if the key 28 ofthe current input has two characters, i.e., a first character 52 and asecond character 56, two artificial variants will be generated at 316.One of the artificial variants will include the previous default outputplus the first character 52. The other artificial variant will includethe previous default output plus the second character 56.

However, if it is determined at 308 that none of the prefix objects inthe result correspond with the previous default output, it is nextnecessary to determine, as at 314, whether the previous default outputhad corresponded with a word object 108 during the previousdisambiguation cycle within the current session. If the answer to theinquiry at 314 is no, it is still necessary to determine, as at 318,whether the previous default output was made the default output becauseof a selection input, such as would have causes the setting of the flag.In the event that the previous default output was not the result of aselection input, no artificial variants are needed, and the processreturns, as at 312, to the main process at 232. However, if it isdetermined at 318 that the previous default output was the result of aselection input, then artificial variants are generated, as at 316.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the answer to the inquiry at314 is yes, meaning that the previous default output had correspondedwith a word object, but with the current input the previous defaultoutput combined with the current input has ceased to correspond with anyword object 108, then artificial variants are generated, again as at316.

After the artificial variants are generated at 316, the method thendetermines, as at 320, whether the result includes any prefix objects atall. If not, processing returns, as at 312, to the main process at 232.However, if it is determined at 320 that the result includes at least afirst prefix object, meaning that the current input sequence correspondswith a word object 108, processing is transferred to 324 where anadditional artificial variant is created. Specifically, the prefixobject of the result with which is associated the frequency object 104having the relatively highest frequency value among the other frequencyobjects 104 in the result is identified, and the artificial variant iscreated by deleting the final character from the identified prefixobject and replacing it with an opposite character 48 on the same key 28of the current input that generated the final character 48 of theidentified prefix object. In the event that the specific key 28 has morethan two characters 48 assigned thereto, each such opposite character 48will be used to generate an additional artificial variant.

Once the need for artificial variants has been identified, as at 228,and any such artificial variants have been generated, as in FIG. 4 andas described above, processing continues, as at 232, where the need fornon-alphabetic objects is determined. As can be understood from theforegoing, the prefix objects that are generated, as at 220, eachcomprise a number of the alphabetic characters 48 assigned to the keys28. However, a determination is initiated, as at 232, whether one ormore non-alphabetic characters that may be assigned to keys 28 in theinput sequence should be provided as at least a portion of an output.

Specifically, upon initiating a determination as to the need fornon-alphabetic objects, as at 232, processing continues at 233 whereprocessing is transferred to FIG. 4A for a subsystem. More particularly,processing is transferred to the element 234 in FIG. 4A, after which itis determined, as at 235, whether each key 28 of the input sequence hasa numeric character 53 assigned thereto. If it is determined, as at 235,that fewer than all of the keys 28 of the input sequence have assignedthereto a numeric character 53, processing continues, as at 237, whereit is determined whether or not the key 28 of the current input memberactuation has a symbol character 55 assigned thereto. If at 237 it isdetermined that the current input member actuation has no symbolcharacter 55 assigned thereto, no need exits for a non-alphabetic objectto be generated, and processing thereafter returns, as at 239, to themain process at 235 in FIG. 3A.

However, if it is determined at 235 that each key 28 of the inputsequence has at least one numeric character 53 assigned thereto,processing continues, as at 241, where a numeric interpretation of theinput sequence is generated for subsequent output, as will be describedin greater detail below. Processing thereafter continues, as at 243,where it is determined whether or not a word object 108 matches one ofthe generated prefix objects and has associated therewith a frequencyobject 104 having a frequency value above a predetermined threshold. Asemployed herein, the expression “match” and variations thereof in thecontext of language objects 100 and prefix objects shall refer broadlyto a situation wherein the quantity of characters in a language object100 is equal to the quantity of characters in a given prefix object,with the characters of the language object being one-for-one the same asthose of the given prefix object. If no such matching word object 108 isidentified at 243, processing returns to the main process, as at 235.However, if at 243 a matching word object 108 having a sufficiently highfrequency value is identified, processing continues, as at 245, where aflag is set for future use, as will be described in greater detailbelow. After the flag is set, as at 245, processing returns to the mainprocess, as at 235.

Still alternatively, if it is determined, as at 237, that the key 28 ofthe current input member actuation has a symbol character 55 assignedthereto, processing continues, as at 247, where it is determined whetherthe current input member actuation was a particular type of actuation,such as a press-and-hold actuation of a predetermined duration orlonger. If the answer at 247 is yes, meaning that the current inputmember actuation was of a predetermined type, such as the aforementionedpress-and-hold actuation of a predetermined duration, processingcontinues, as at 249, where a flag is set for use as will be describedin greater detail below. Afterward, processing continues, as at 251,where a proposed interpretation of the input sequence is generated. Theproposed interpretation comprises a disambiguated text interpretation ofan initial portion of the input sequence followed by a symbol character55 that is assigned to the key 28 of the current input member actuation.The disambiguated text interpretation typically would comprise a wordobject 108, although this need not necessary be the case. Processingthereafter returns to the main process, as at 235.

On the other hand, if it is determined, as at 247, that the currentinput member actuation was not a particular type of actuation, such asnot being the exemplary press-and-hold actuation of a predeterminedduration, processing would continue, as at 253, where it is determinedwhether any language objects 100 correspond with the input sequence. Ifone or more such language objects 100 are identified at 253, processingreturns to the main process, as at 235. However, if it is determined at253 that no language objects 100 correspond with the input sequence,processing continues to 251 where the proposed interpretation of theinput sequence is generated as was mentioned above. Processingthereafter returns to the main process, as at 235.

Once processing has returned to 235, duplicate word objects 108associated with relatively lower frequency values are deleted from theresult. Such a duplicate word object 108 could be generated, forinstance, by the frequency learning database 96, as will be set forth ingreater detail below. If a word object 108 in the result matches one ofthe artificial variants, the word object 108 and its associatedfrequency object 104 generally will be removed from the result becausethe artificial variant will be assigned a preferred status in the output64, likely in a position preferred to any word object 108 that mighthave been identified.

Once the duplicate word objects 108 and the associated frequency objects104 have been removed at 232, the remaining prefix objects are arranged,as at 236, in an output set in decreasing order of frequency value. Theorphan prefix objects mentioned above may also be added to the outputset, albeit at positions of relatively lower frequency value than anyprefix object for which a corresponding word object 108 was found. It isalso necessary to ensure that the artificial variants, if they have beencreated, are placed at a preferred position in the output set. It isunderstood that artificial variants may, but need not necessarily be,given a position of preference, i.e., assigned a relatively higherpriority or frequency, than prefix objects of the result.

If it is determined, as at 240, that the flag has been set, the outputset is modified from its typical ordering according to decreasingfrequency value. As mentioned above, the flag can be set if, forinstance, the user has made a selection input, either through an expressselection input or through an alternation input of a movement input. Insuch a situation, the default output 76 is considered to be “locked,”meaning that the selected variant will be the default prefix until theend of the session. As further mentioned above, the flag canalternatively be set at 245 or 249 of FIG. 4A during the making of thedetermination whether or not non-alphabetic objects should be generated.

If it is determined at 240 that the flag has been set, the processingwill proceed to 244 where the contents of the output set will bealtered, if needed, to provide as the default output 76 an output thatincludes either the selected prefix object, whether it corresponds witha word object 108 or is an artificial variant, or the non-alphabeticobject generated at 241 or 251 in FIG. 4A. In the former situation, itis understood that the flag can be set additional times during asession, in which case the selected prefix object associated withresetting of the flag thereafter becomes the “locked” default output 76until the end of the session or until another selection input isdetected.

In the latter situation, the setting of the flag at 245 or 249 providesan indication as to where in the output 64 the proposed interpretationof the input sequence should be positioned. As a general matter, and inthe situation where it is determined at 235 that each key 28 in theinput sequence has a numeric character 53 assigned thereto, the numericinterpretation of the input sequence will be progressively output atpositions of relatively higher priority, i.e., frequency, as thequantity of input members in the input sequence increases. For instance,if the input sequence is one or two input member actuations in length,any numeric interpretation of the input sequence likely will be outputat a position of very low priority, if at all. As the quantity of inputmember actuations in the input sequence reaches three, the numericinterpretation is output at a position of moderate priority in thevariant component 72. When the input sequence is four actuations or morein length, for instance, the numeric interpretation typically will beoutput as the default output 76. However, if it is determined, as at243, that a word object 108 matches one of the prefix objects and has afrequency value at or above a predetermined threshold, the resultantsetting of the flag at 245 indicates to the disambiguation routine 22that the identified word object 108 should be output as the defaultoutput 76, with the numeric interpretation being output closelythereafter as a variant.

In a similar fashion, if it is determined at 253 that no languageobjects 100 correspond with the input sequence, the proposedinterpretation of the input sequence is generated at 251 and willtypically be output at a position in the variant component 72 of atleast moderate priority. However, if it is determined at 247 that thecurrent input member actuation was a particular type of actuation, suchas the aforementioned press-and-hold actuation of a predeterminedduration, the flag is set, as at 249, which results in the proposedinterpretation of the input sequence being generated at 251 and beingoutput as the default output 76. Although not expressly depicted in FIG.4A, it is understood that even if one or more language objects areidentified at 253 as corresponding with the input sequence, the variantcomponent 72 still can potentially include a proposed interpretationcomprising a disambiguated text interpretation of an initial portion ofthe input sequence followed by a symbol character 55 assigned to the keyof the current input, as is generated at 251. However, in this type ofsituation such a proposed interpretation typically would be output at aposition in the variant component 72 of relatively low priority, if itis output at all.

Processing then continues, as at 248, to an output step after which anoutput 64 is generated as described above. More specifically, processingproceeds, as at 250, to the subsystem depicted generally in FIG. 6 anddescribed below. Processing thereafter continues at 204 where additionalinput is detected. On the other hand, if it is determined at 240 thatthe flag had not been set, then processing goes directly to 248 withoutthe alteration of the contents of the output set at 244.

The handheld electronic device 4 may be configured such that any orphanprefix object that is included in an output 64 but that is not selectedwith the next input is suspended. This may be limited to orphan prefixobjects appearing in the variant portion 80 or may apply to orphanprefix objects anywhere in the output 64. The handheld electronic device4 may also be configured to similarly suspend artificial variants insimilar circumstances. A reason for such suspension is that each suchorphan prefix object and/or artificial variant, as appropriate, mayspawn a quantity of offspring orphan prefix objects equal to thequantity of characters 48 on a key 28 of the next input. That is, eachoffspring will include the parent orphan prefix object or artificialvariant plus one of the characters 48 of the key 28 of the next input.Since orphan prefix objects and artificial variants substantially do nothave correspondence with a word object 108, spawned offspring objectsfrom parent orphan prefix objects and artificial variants likewise willnot have correspondence with a word object 108. Such suspended orphanprefix objects and/or artificial variants may be considered to besuspended, as compared with being wholly eliminated, since suchsuspended orphan prefix objects and/or artificial variants may reappearlater as parents of a spawned orphan prefix objects and/or artificialvariants, as will be explained below.

If the detected input is determined, as at 212, to be an operationalinput, processing then continues to determine the specific nature of theoperational input. For instance, if it is determined, as at 252, thatthe current input is a selection input, processing continues at 254. At254, the word object 108 and the associated frequency object 104 of thedefault portion 76 of the output 64, as well as the word object 108 andthe associated frequency object 104 of the portion of the variant output80 that was selected by the selection input, are stored in a temporarylearning data register. Additionally, the flag is set. Processing thenreturns to detection of additional inputs as at 204.

If it is determined, as at 260, that the input is a delimiter input,processing continues at 264 where the current session is terminated andprocessing is transferred, as at 266, to the learning functionsubsystem, as at 404 of FIG. 5A. Such a delimiter input would be inputby the user upon a completion of an intended word, i.e., the delimitedinput would indicate to the handheld electronic device 4 that theinputting of the particular desired word of the current session has beencompleted. A delimiter input would include, for example, the actuationof a <SPACE> key 116, which would both enter a delimiter symbol andwould add a space at the end of the word, actuation of the <ENTER> key44, which might similarly enter a delimiter input and enter a space, andby a translation of the thumbwheel 32, such as is indicated by the arrow38, which might enter a delimiter input without additionally entering aspace.

It is first determined, as at 408, whether the default output at thetime of the detection of the delimiter input at 260 matches a wordobject 108 in the memory 20. If it does not, this means that the defaultoutput is a user-created output that should be added to the new wordsdatabase 92 for future use. In such a circumstance processing thenproceeds to 412 where the default output is stored in the new wordsdatabase 92 as a new word object 108. Additionally, a frequency object104 is stored in the new words database 92 and is associated with theaforementioned new word object 108. The new frequency object 104 isgiven a relatively high frequency value, typically within the upperone-fourth or one-third of a predetermined range of possible frequencyvalues.

In this regard, frequency objects 104 are given an absolute frequencyvalue generally in the range of zero to 65,535. The maximum valuerepresents the largest number that can be stored within two bytes of thememory 20. The new frequency object 104 that is stored in the new wordsdatabase 92 is assigned an absolute frequency value within the upperone-fourth or one-third of this range, particularly since the new wordwas used by a user and is likely to be used again.

With further regard to frequency object 104, it is noted that within agiven data table, such as the “CO” data table mentioned above, theabsolute frequency value is stored only for the frequency object 104having the highest frequency value within the data table. All of theother frequency objects 104 in the same data table have frequency valuesstored as percentage values normalized to the aforementioned maximumabsolute frequency value. That is, after identification of the frequencyobject 104 having the highest frequency value within a given data table,all of the other frequency objects 104 in the same data table areassigned a percentage of the absolute maximum value, which representsthe ratio of the relatively smaller absolute frequency value of aparticular frequency object 104 to the absolute frequency value of theaforementioned highest value frequency object 104. Advantageously, suchpercentage values can be stored within a single byte of memory, thussaving storage space within the handheld electronic device 4.

Upon creation of the new word object 108 and the new frequency object104, and storage thereof within the new words database 92, processing istransferred to 420 where the learning process is terminated. Processingis then returned to the main process, as at 204.

If at 408 it is determined that the word object 108 in the defaultoutput 76 matches a word object 108 within the memory 20, processingthen continues at 416 where it is determined whether the aforementionedflag has been set, such as occurs upon the detection of a selectioninput, and alternation input, or a movement input, by way of example. Ifit turns out that the flag has not been set, this means that the userhas not expressed a preference for a variant prefix object over adefault prefix object, and no need for frequency learning has arisen. Insuch a circumstance, processing continues at 420 where the learningprocess is terminated. Processing then returns to the main process at204.

However, if it is determined at 416 that the flag has been set, theprocessor 16 retrieves from the temporary learning data register themost recently saved default and variant word objects 108, along withtheir associated frequency objects 104. It is then determined, as at428, whether the default and variant word objects 108 had previouslybeen subject of a frequency learning operation. This might bedetermined, for instance, by determining whether the variant word object108 and the associated frequency object 104 were obtained from thefrequency learning database 96. If the default and variant word objects108 had not previously been the subject of a frequency learningoperation, processing continues, as at 432, where the variant wordobject 108 is stored in the frequency learning database 96, and arevised frequency object 104 is generated having a frequency valuegreater than that of the frequency object 104 that previously had beenassociated with the variant word object 108. In the present exemplarycircumstance, i.e., where the default word object 108 and the variantword object 108 are experiencing their first frequency learningoperation, the revised frequency object 104 may, for instance, be givena frequency value equal to the sum of the frequency value of thefrequency object 104 previously associated with the variant word object108 plus one-half the difference between the frequency value of thefrequency object 104 associated with the default word object 108 and thefrequency value of the frequency object 104 previously associated withthe variant word object 108. Upon storing the variant word object 108and the revised frequency object 104 in the frequency learning database96, processing continues at 420 where the learning process is terminatedand processing returns to the main process, as at 204.

If it is determined at 428 that that default word object 108 and thevariant word object 108 had previously been the subject of a frequencylearning operation, processing continues to 436 where the revisedfrequency value 104 is instead given a frequency value higher than thefrequency value of the frequency object 104 associated with the defaultword object 108. After storage of the variant word object 108 and therevised frequency object 104 in the frequency learning database 96,processing continues to 420 where the learning process is terminated,and processing then returns to the main process, as at 204.

With further regard to the learning function, it is noted that thelearning function additionally detects whether both the default wordobject 108 and the variant word object 104 were obtained from thefrequency learning database 96. In this regard, when word objects 108are identified, as at 224, for correspondence with generated prefixobjects, all of the data sources in the memory are polled for suchcorresponding word objects 108 and corresponding frequency objects 104.Since the frequency learning database 96 stores word objects 108 thatalso are stored either in the generic word list 88 or the new wordsdatabase 92, the word object 108 and the associated frequency object 104that are obtained from the frequency learning database 96 typically areduplicates of word objects 108 that have already been obtained from thegeneric word list 88 or the new words database 92. However, theassociated frequency object 104 obtained from the frequency learningdatabase 96 typically has a frequency value that is of a greatermagnitude than that of the associated frequency object 104 that had beenobtained from the generic word list 88. This reflects the nature of thefrequency learning database 96 as imparting to a frequently used wordobject 108 a relatively greater frequency value than it otherwise wouldhave in the generic word list 88.

It thus can be seen that the learning function indicated in FIGS. 5A and5B and described above is generally not initiated until a delimiterinput is detected, meaning that learning occurs only once for eachsession. Additionally, if the final default output is not a user-definednew word, the word objects 108 that are the subject of the frequencylearning function are the word objects 108 which were associated withthe default output 76 and the selected variant output 80 at the timewhen the selection occurred, rather than necessarily being related tothe object that ultimately resulted as the default output at the end ofthe session. Also, if numerous learnable events occurred during a singlesession, the frequency learning function operates only on the wordobjects 108 that were associated with the final learnable event, i.e., aselection event, an alternation event, or a movement event, prior totermination of the current session.

With further regard to the identification of various word objects 108for correspondence with generated prefix objects, it is noted that thememory 20 can include a number of additional data sources 99 in additionto the generic word list 88, the new words database 92, and thefrequency learning database 96, all of which can be consideredlinguistic sources. An exemplary two other data sources 99 are depictedin FIG. 2A, it being understood that the memory 20 might include anynumber of other data sources 99. The other data sources 99 mightinclude, for example, an address database, a speed-text database, or anyother data source without limitation. An exemplary speed-text databasemight include, for example, sets of words or expressions or other datathat are each associated with, for example, a character string that maybe abbreviated. For example, a speed-text database might associate thestring “br” with the set of words “Best Regards”, with the intentionthat a user can type the string “br” and receive the output “BestRegards”.

In seeking to identify word objects 108 that correspond with a givenprefix object, the handheld electronic device 4 may poll all of the datasources in the memory 20. For instance the handheld electronic device 4may poll the generic word list 88, the new words database 92, thefrequency learning database 96, and the other data sources 99 toidentify word objects 108 that correspond with the prefix object. Thecontents of the other data sources 99 may be treated as word objects108, and the processor 20 may generate frequency objects 104 that willbe associated such word objects 108 and to which may be assigned afrequency value in, for example, the upper one-third or one-fourth ofthe aforementioned frequency range. Assuming that the assigned frequencyvalue is sufficiently high, the string “br”, for example, wouldtypically be output to the display 60. If a delimiter input is detectedwith respect to the portion of the output having the association withthe word object 108 in the speed-text database, for instance “br”, theuser would receive the output “Best Regards”, it being understood thatthe user might also have entered a selection input as to the exemplarystring “br”.

The contents of any of the other data sources 99 may be treated as wordobjects 108 and may be associated with generated frequency objects 104having the assigned frequency value in the aforementioned upper portionof the frequency range. After such word objects 108 are identified, thenew word learning function can, if appropriate, act upon such wordobjects 108 in the fashion set forth above.

Again regarding FIG. 3A, when processing proceeds to the filtrationstep, as at 232, and the duplicate word objects 108 and the associatedfrequency objects 104 having relatively lower frequency values arefiltered, the remaining results may include a variant word object 108and a default word object 108, both of which were obtained from thefrequency learning database 96. In such a situation, it can beenvisioned that if a user repetitively and alternately uses one wordthen the other word, over time the frequency objects 104 associated withsuch words will increase well beyond the aforementioned maximum absolutefrequency value for a frequency object 104. Accordingly, if it isdetermined that both the default word object 108 and the variant wordobject 108 in the learning function were obtained from the frequencylearning database 96, instead of storing the variant word object 108 inthe frequency learning database 96 and associating it with a frequencyobject 104 having a relatively increased frequency value, instead thelearning function stores the default word object 108 and associates itwith a revised frequency object 104 having a frequency value that isrelatively lower than that of the frequency object 104 that isassociated with the variant word object 108. Such a schemeadvantageously avoids excessive and unnecessary increases in frequencyvalue.

If it is determined, such as at 268, that the current input is amovement input, such as would be employed when a user is seeking to editan object, either a completed word or a prefix object within the currentsession, the caret 84 is moved, as at 272, to the desired location, andthe flag is set, as at 276. Processing then returns to where additionalinputs can be detected, as at 204.

In this regard, it is understood that various types of movement inputscan be detected from the input device 8. For instance, a rotation of thethumbwheel 32, such as is indicated by the arrow 34 of FIG. 1, couldprovide a movement input, as could the actuation of the <NEXT> key 40,or other such input, potentially in combination with other devices inthe input apparatus 8. In the instance where such a movement input isdetected, such as in the circumstance of an editing input, the movementinput is additionally detected as a selection input. Accordingly, and asis the case with a selection input such as is detected at 252, theselected variant is effectively locked with respect to the defaultportion 76 of the output 64. Any default output 76 during the samesession will necessarily include the previously selected variant.

In the context of editing, however, the particular displayed object thatis being edited is effectively locked except as to the character that isbeing edited. In this regard, therefore, the other characters of theobject being edited, i.e., the characters that are not being edited, aremaintained and are employed as a context for identifying additional wordobjects 108 and the like that correspond with the object being edited.Were this not the case, a user seeking to edit a letter in the middle ofa word otherwise likely would see as a new output 64 numerous objectsthat bear little or no resemblance to the characters of the object beingedited since, in the absence of maintaining such context, an entirelynew set of prefix objects including all of the permutations of thecharacters of the various keystrokes of the object being edited wouldhave been generated. New word objects 108 would have been identified ascorresponding with the new prefix objects, all of which couldsignificantly change the output 64 merely upon the editing of a singlecharacter. By maintaining the other characters currently in the objectbeing edited, and employing such other characters as contextinformation, the user can much more easily edit a word that is depictedon the display 60.

In the present exemplary embodiment of the handheld electronic device 4,if it is determined, as at 252, that the input is not a selection input,and it is determined, as at 260, that the input is not a delimiterinput, and it is further determined, as at 268, that the input is not amovement input, in the current exemplary embodiment of the handheldelectronic device 4 the only remaining operational input generally is adetection of the <DELETE> key 86 of the keys 28 of the keypad 24. Upondetection of the <DELETE> key 86, the final character of the defaultoutput is deleted, as at 280. At this point, the processing generallywaits until another input is detected, as at 284. It is then determined,as at 288, whether the new input detected at 284 is the same as the mostrecent input that was related to the final character that had just beendeleted at 280. If so, the default output 76 is the same as the previousdefault output, except that the last character is the opposite characterof the key actuation that generated the last character. Processing thencontinues to 292 where learning data, i.e., the word object 108 and theassociate frequency object 104 associated with the previous defaultoutput 76, as well as the word object 108 and the associate frequencyobject 104 associated with the new default output 76, are stored in thetemporary learning data register and the flag is set. Such a keysequence, i.e., an input, the <DELETE> key 86, and the same input asbefore, is an alternation input. Such an alternation input replaces thedefault final character with an opposite final character of the key 28which generated the final character 48 of the default output 76. Thealternation input is treated as a selection input for purposes oflocking the default output 76 for the current session, and also triggersthe flag which will initiate the learning function upon detection of adelimiter input at 260.

If it turns out, however, that the system detects at 288 that the newinput detected at 284 is different than the input immediately prior todetection of the <DELETE> key 86, processing continues at 212 where theinput is determined to be either an operational input or an input of akey having one or more characters 48, and processing continuesthereafter.

It is also noted that when the main process reaches the output stage at248, an additional process is initiated which determines whether thevariant component 72 of the output 64 should be initiated. Processing ofthe additional function is initiated from 248 at element 504 of FIG. 6.Initially, the method at 508 outputs the text component 68 of the output64 to the display 60. Further processing determines whether or not thevariant component 72 should be displayed.

Specifically, it is determined, as at 512, whether the variant component72 has already been displayed during the current session. If the variantcomponent 72 has already been displayed, processing continues at 516where the new variant component 72 resulting from the currentdisambiguation cycle within the current session is displayed. Processingthen returns to a termination point at 520, after which processingreturns to the main process at 204. If, however, it is determined at 512that the variant component 72 has not yet been displayed during thecurrent session, processing continues, as at 524, to determine whetherthe elapsed time between the current input and the immediately previousinput is longer than a predetermined duration. If it is longer, thenprocessing continues at 516 where the variant component 72 is displayedand processing returns, through 520, to the main process, as at 204.However, if it is determined at 524 that the elapsed time between thecurrent input and the immediately previous input is less than thepredetermined duration, the variant component 72 is not displayed andprocessing returns to the termination point at 520, after whichprocessing returns to the main process, as at 204.

Advantageously, therefore, if a user is entering keystrokes relativelyquickly, the variant component 72 will not be output to the display 60,where it otherwise would likely create a visual distraction to a userseeking to enter keystrokes quickly. If at any time during a givensession the variant component 72 is output to the display 60, such as ifthe time between successive inputs exceeds the predetermined duration,the variant component 72 will continue to be displayed throughout thatsession. However, upon the initiation of a new session, the variantcomponent 72 will be withheld from the display if the user consistentlyis entering keystrokes relatively quickly.

An exemplary input sequence is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 7-11. In thisexample, the user is attempting to enter the word “APPLOADER”, and thisword presently is not stored in the memory 20. In FIG. 1 the user hasalready typed the <AS> key 28. Since the data tables in the memory 20are organized according to two-letter prefixes, the contents of theoutput 64 upon the first keystroke are obtained from the N-gram objects112 within the memory. The first keystroke <AS> corresponds with a firstN-gram object 112 “S” and an associated frequency object 104, as well asanother N-gram object 112 “A” and an associated frequency object 104.While the frequency object 104 associated with “S” has a frequency valuegreater than that of the frequency object 104 associated with “A”, it isnoted that “A” is itself a complete word. A complete word is alwaysprovided as the default output 76 in favor of other prefix objects thatdo not match complete words, regardless of associated frequency value.As such, in FIG. 1, the default portion 76 of the output 64 is “A”.

In FIG. 7, the user has additionally entered the <OP> key 28. Thevariants are depicted in FIG. 7. Since the prefix object “SO ” is also aword, it is provided as the default output 76. In FIG. 8, the user hasagain entered the <OP> key 28 and has also entered the <L> key 28. It isnoted that the exemplary <L> key 28 depicted herein includes only thesingle character 48 “L”.

It is assumed in the instant example that no operational inputs havethus far been detected. The default output 76 is “APPL”, such as wouldcorrespond with the word “APPLE”. The prefix “APPL” is depicted both inthe text component 68, as well as in the default portion 76 of thevariant component 72. Variant prefix objects in the variant portion 80include “APOL”, such as would correspond with the word “APOLOGIZE”, andthe prefix “SPOL”, such as would correspond with the word “SPOLIATION”.

It is particularly noted that the additional variants “AOOL”, “AOPL”,“SOPL”, and “SOOL” are also depicted as variants 80 in the variantcomponent 72. Since no word object 108 corresponds with these prefixobjects, the prefix objects are considered to be orphan prefix objectsfor which a corresponding word object 108 was not identified. In thisregard, it may be desirable for the variant component 72 to include aspecific quantity of entries, and in the case of the instant exemplaryembodiment the quantity is seven entries. Upon obtaining the result at224, if the quantity of prefix objects in the result is fewer than thepredetermined quantity, the disambiguation function will seek to provideadditional outputs until the predetermined number of outputs areprovided. In the absence of artificial variants having been created, theadditional variant entries are provided by orphan prefix objects. It isnoted, however, that if artificial variants had been generated, theylikely would have occupied a place of preference in favor of such orphanprefix objects, and possibly also in favor of the prefix objects of theresult.

It is further noted that such orphan prefix objects may actually beoffspring orphan prefix objects from suspended parent orphan prefixobjects and/or artificial variants. Such offspring orphan prefix objectscan be again output depending upon frequency ranking as explained below,or as otherwise ranked.

The orphan prefix objects are ranked in order of descending frequencywith the use of the N-gram objects 112 and the associated frequencyobjects 104. Since the orphan prefix objects do not have a correspondingword object 108 with an associated frequency object 104, the frequencyobjects 104 associated with the various N-gram objects 112 must beemployed as a fallback.

Using the N-gram objects 112, the disambiguation function first seeks todetermine if any N-gram object 112 having, for instance, threecharacters is a match for, for instance, a final three characters of anyorphan prefix object. The example of three characters is given since theexemplary embodiment of the handheld electronic device 4 includes N-gramobjects 112 that are an exemplary maximum of the three characters inlength, but it is understood that if the memory 20 included N-gramobjects four characters in length or longer, the disambiguation functiontypically would first seek to determine whether an N-gram object havingthe greatest length in the memory 20 matches the same quantity ofcharacters at the end of an orphan prefix object.

If only one prefix object corresponds in such a fashion to a threecharacter N-gram object 112, such orphan prefix object is listed firstamong the various orphan prefix objects in the variant output 80. Ifadditional orphan prefix objects are matched to N-gram objects 112having three characters, then the frequency objects 104 associated withsuch identified N-gram objects 112 are analyzed, and the matched orphanprefix objects are ranked amongst themselves in order of decreasingfrequency.

If it is determined that a match cannot be obtained with an N-gramobject 112 having three characters, then two-character N-gram objects112 are employed. Since the memory 20 includes all permutations oftwo-character N-gram objects 112, a last two characters of each orphanprefix object can be matched to a corresponding two-character N-gramobject 112. After such matches are achieved, the frequency objects 104associated with such identified N-gram objects 112 are analyzed, and theorphan prefix objects are ranked amongst themselves in descending orderof frequency value of the frequency objects 104 that were associatedwith the identified N-gram objects 112. It is further noted thatartificial variants can similarly be rank ordered amongst themselvesusing the N-gram objects 112 and the associated frequency objects 104.

In FIG. 9 the user has additionally entered the <OP> key 28. In thiscircumstance, and as can be seen in FIG. 9, the default portion 76 ofthe output 64 has become the prefix object “APOLO” such as wouldcorrespond with the word “APOLOGIZE”, whereas immediately prior to thecurrent input the default portion 76 of the output 64 of FIG. 8 was“APPL” such as would correspond with the word “APPLE.” Again, assumingthat no operational inputs had been detected, the default prefix objectin FIG. 9 does not correspond with the previous default prefix object ofFIG. 8. As such, the first artificial variant “APOLP” is generated andin the current example is given a preferred position. The aforementionedartificial variant “APOLP” is generated by deleting the final characterof the default prefix object “APOLO” and by supplying in its place anopposite character 48 of the key 28 which generated the final characterof the default portion 76 of the output 64, which in the current exampleof FIG. 9 is “P”, so that the aforementioned artificial variants is“APOLP”.

Furthermore, since the previous default output “APPL” corresponded witha word object 108, such as the word object 108 corresponding with theword “APPLE”, and since with the addition of the current input theprevious default output “APPL” no longer corresponds with a word object108, two additional artificial variants are generated. One artificialvariant is “APPLP” and the other artificial variant is “APPLO”, andthese correspond with the previous default output “APPL” plus thecharacters 48 of the key 28 that was actuated to generate the currentinput. These artificial variants are similarly output as part of thevariant portion 80 of the output 64.

As can be seen in FIG. 9, the default portion 76 of the output 64“APOLO” no longer seems to match what would be needed as a prefix for“APPLOADER”, and the user likely anticipates that the desired word“APPLOADER” is not already stored in the memory 20. As such, the userprovides a selection input, such as by scrolling with the thumbwheel 32,or by actuating the <NEXT> key 40, until the variant string “APPLO” ishighlighted. The user then continues typing and enters the <AS> key.

The output 64 of such action is depicted in FIG. 10. Here, the string“APPLOA” is the default portion 76 of the output 64. Since the variantstring “APPLO” became the default portion 76 of the output 64 (notexpressly depicted herein) as a result of the selection input as to thevariant string “APPLO”, and since the variant string “APPLO” does notcorrespond with a word object 108, the character strings “APPLOA” and“APPLOS” were created as an artificial variants. Additionally, since theprevious default of FIG. 9, “APOLO” previously had corresponded with aword object 108, but now is no longer in correspondence with the defaultportion 76 of the output 64 of FIG. 10, the additional artificialvariants of “APOLOA” and “APOLOS” were also generated. Such artificialvariants are given a preferred position in favor of the three displayedorphan prefix objects.

Since the current input sequence in the example no longer correspondswith any word object 108, the portions of the method related toattempting to find corresponding word objects 108 are not executed withfurther inputs for the current session. That is, since no word object108 corresponds with the current input sequence, further inputs willlikewise not correspond with any word object 108. Avoiding the search ofthe memory 20 for such nonexistent word objects 108 saves time andavoids wasted processing effort.

As the user continues to type, the user ultimately will successfullyenter the word “APPLOADER” and will enter a delimiter input. Upondetection of the delimiter input after the entry of “APPLOADER”, thelearning function is initiated. Since the word “APPLOADER” does notcorrespond with a word object 108 in the memory 20, a new word object108 corresponding with “APPLOADER” is generated and is stored in the newwords database 92, along with a corresponding new frequency object 104which is given an absolute frequency in the upper, say, one-third orone-fourth of the possible frequency range. In this regard, it is notedthat the new words database 92 and the frequency learning database 96are generally organized in two-character prefix data tables similar tothose found in the generic word list 88. As such, the new frequencyobject 104 is initially assigned an absolute frequency value, but uponstorage the absolute frequency value, if it is not the maximum valuewithin that data table, will be changed to include a normalizedfrequency value percentage normalized to whatever is the maximumfrequency value within that data table.

As a subsequent example, in FIG. 11 the user is trying to enter the word“APOLOGIZE”. The user has entered the key sequence <AS> <OP> <OP> <L><OP>. Since “APPLOADER” has now been added as a word object 108 to thenew words database 92 and has been associated with frequency object 104having a relatively high frequency value, the prefix object “APPLO”which corresponds with “APPLOADER” has been displayed as the defaultportion 76 of the output 64 in favor of the variant prefix object“APOLO”, which corresponds with the desired word “APOLOGIZE.” Since theword “APOLOGIZE” corresponds with a word object 108 that is stored atleast in the generic word list 88, the user can simply continue to enterkeystrokes corresponding with the additional letters “GIZE”, which wouldbe the letters in the word “APOLOGIZE” following the prefix object“APOLO”, in order to obtain the word “APOLOGIZE”. Alternatively, theuser may, upon seeing the output 64 depicted in FIG. 11, enter aselection input to affirmatively select the variant prefix object“APOLO”. In such a circumstance, the learning function will be triggeredupon detection of a delimiter symbol, and the word object 108 that hadcorresponded with the character string “APOLO” at the time the selectioninput was made will be stored in the frequency learning database 96 andwill be associated with a revised frequency object 104 having arelatively higher frequency value that is similarly stored in thefrequency learning database 96.

An additional feature of the handheld electronic device 4 is depictedgenerally in FIG. 12. In some circumstances, it is desirable that thedisambiguation function be disabled. For instance, when it is desired toenter a password, disambiguation typically is relatively more cumbersomethan during ordinary text entry. As such, when the system focus is onthe component corresponding with the password field, the componentindicates to the API that special processing is requested, and the APIdisables the disambiguation function and instead enables, for instance,a multi-tap input interpretation system. Alternatively, other inputinterpretation systems could include a chording system or apress-and-hold/press-and-release interpretation system. As such, whilean input entered with the disambiguation function active is an ambiguousinput, by enabling the alternative interpretation system, such as theexemplary multi-tap system, each input can be largely unambiguous.

As can be understood from FIG. 12, each unambiguous input is displayedfor a very short period of time within the password field 120, and isthen replaced with another output, such as the asterisk. The character“R” is shown displayed, it being understood that such display is onlyfor a very short period of time.

As can be seen in FIGS. 1 and 7-11, the output 64 includes the displayedgraphic 46 near the lower end of the variant component 72, and that thedisplayed graphic 46 is highly similar to the graphic 42 of the <NEXT>key 40. Such a depiction provides an indication to the user which of thekeys 28 of the keypad 24 can be actuated to select a variant output. Thedepiction of the displayed graphic 46 provides an association betweenthe output 64 and the <NEXT> key 40 in the user's mind. Additionally, ifthe user employs the <NEXT> key 40 to provide a selection input, theuser will be able to actuate the <NEXT> key 40 without moving the user'shands away from the position the hands were in with respect to thehousing 6 during text entry, which reduces unnecessary hand motions,such as would be required if a user needed to move a hand to actuate thethumbwheel 32. This saves time and effort.

It is also noted that the system can detect the existence of certainpredefined symbols as being delimiter signals if no word object 108corresponds with the text entry that includes the symbol. For instance,if the user desired to enter the input “one-off”, the user might beginby entering the key sequence <OP> <BN> <ER> <ZX> <OP>, with the <ZX>actuation being intended to refer to the hyphen symbol disposed thereon.Alternatively, instead of typing the <ZX> key the user might actuate an<ALT> entry to unambiguously indicate the hyphen.

Assuming that the memory 20 does not already include a word object 108of “one-off”, the disambiguation function will detect the hyphen asbeing a delimiter input. As such, the key entries preceding thedelimiter input will be delimited from the key entries subsequent to thedelimiter input. As such, the desired input will be searched as twoseparate words, i.e., “ONE” and “OFF”, with the hyphen therebetween.This facilitates processing by more narrowly identifying what is desiredto be searched.

FIGS. 13-19 depict the outputting of non-alphabetic objects in thevariant component 72. FIGS. 13-17 depict sequentially the output witheach keystroke of the input sequence <DF> <UI> <BN> <DF> <UI> such as ifthe user was attempting to type the word “finding” or was attempting toenter a number beginning with the digits 43843. In FIGS. 13 and 14,which depict the first and second keystrokes, respectively, thenon-alphabetic objects 78 “4” and “43” are output at the bottom of thevariant component 72, i.e., at a position of relatively low priority.However, beginning with the third keystroke, as in FIG. 15, thenon-alphabetic object 78 “438” is output in the variant component 72 ata position of moderate priority. In FIG. 16, with the fourth keystroke,the non-alphabetic object 78 “4384” ordinarily would be output at aposition of very high priority, possibly as the default output 76.However, it is noted that the default output 76 “find” and the firstvariant output “fund” each are word objects 108 that match the inputsequence at that point of the fourth keystroke and with which areassociated frequency objects 104 having relatively high frequencyvalues. In such a circumstance, the word objects “find” and “fund” 108would be output at a higher priority than the non-alphabetic object 78“4384”. With FIG. 17, however, which depicts the fifth keystroke in theinput sequence, the non-alphabetic object 78 is output at a position ofhighest priority, i.e., as the default output 76, since no word object108 matches the input sequence, and at most a number of language objects100 correspond with the input sequence. For instance, the word objects108 for the words “finding” and “funding” each have an initial portionthat matches the input sequence, but the words “finding” and “funding”do not in their entirety match the input sequence because input sequenceis of a different length than either of the words. As such, noalphabetic object is output at a higher priority than the non-alphabeticobject 78. This advantageously enables a numeric object, such as thenon-alphabetic object 78 “43843”, to be generated by the textdisambiguation routine 22 without the need for the user to, forinstance, activate a separate numeric input routine or hold a <SHIFT>key or <ALT> key while actuating the keys 28 to which numeric characters53 are assigned.

FIG. 18 depicts an output that would result from the input sequence <DF><UI> <BN> <QW>. The first three input member actuations of this inputsequence would produce an output similar to that of FIG. 15. As can beseen in FIG. 15, the word “fun” is output as the default output 76.However, and as can be seen in FIG. 18, when the current input memberactuation is an actuation of the <QW> key 28, no word object 108corresponds with the input sequence. However, since the exclamationpoint symbol (!) is a symbol character 55 that is assigned to the <QW>key 28, the disambiguation routine 22 can interpret the input sequenceas the word “fun” followed by the exclamation point (!). That is, theuser was able to access the exclamation point symbol character 55 usingthe text disambiguation routine 22 and employing a determination by thetext disambiguation routine 22 that the non-alphabetic object “fun!”would be preferable to any possible alphabetic object. In this regard,it is understood that the expression “non-alphabetic object” andvariations thereof refer generally to an object having at least onenon-alphabetic character and does not require all of the characterstherein to be non-alphabetic.

FIG. 19 depicts a situation similar to FIG. 18, except in FIG. 18 thecurrent input member actuation was press-and-hold actuation of apredetermined duration of the <AS> key 28. The word objects 108 “fins”and “dubs” match the input sequence in FIG. 19. However, since thecurrent input member was a press-and-hold actuation of a predeterminedduration, and because the question mark (?) symbol character 55 isassigned to the <AS> key 28, the press-and-hold actuation of the currentinput member enabled the user to unambiguously express a preference forthe question mark (?) symbol character 55 assigned thereto without theneed to execute another input routine or to additionally actuate a<SHIFT> key or an <ALT> key. In the absence of the current input memberactuation being a press-and-hold actuation of a predetermined duration,the word “fins” would have been output as the default output 76, as canbe understood from the element 253 in FIG. 4A. However, since the userunambiguously expressed a preference for the question mark (?), andbecause the initial keystrokes of the input sequence matched the wordobject 108 “fun”, the non-alphabetic object “fun?” 182 was output as thedefault output 76. Again, the user was able to access a symbol character55 directly with the use of the text disambiguation routine 22.

It is noted that the exemplary keypad 24 depicted in FIG. 1 is notintended to be limiting upon the disclosed and claimed concept. Forinstance, many of the methods described herein can be advantageouslyimplemented on keypads with different arrangements of alphabetic andnon-alphabetic characters. For instance, an alternate keypad might haveat most only a single alphabetic character assigned to each key inaddition to one or more non-alphabetic characters of functions thatmight be assigned to each such key. Such a keypad would not likely beconsidered to be a “reduced” keyboard since an input member actuationwould not result in an ambiguous text input. However, the input fromsuch an input member actuation could still have an ambiguity as betweena sole alphabetic character assigned thereto and one or morenon-alphabetic characters assigned thereto. As such, the disambiguationroutine executed thereon might not be, per se, a text disambiguationroutine, but rather might be a disambiguation routine which resolvesother types of input ambiguities.

By way of example, a handheld electronic device having such an alternatekeypad might employ a disambiguation routine which outputs a textualinterpretation of an input with most input member actuations, but thatbegins to additionally or alternatively provide a numeric interpretationof the input when a predetermined number of keys having a numericcharacter assigned thereto are actuated in a series. This would beessentially the same implementation as described above on the handheldelectronic device 4, except that the textual portion of the output wouldnot be ambiguous, and rather any variants that might be provided wouldbe numeric or would be textual with one or more symbolic characters inplace of alphabetic characters. Any such outputs would still beconsidered to be disambiguated outputs, whether disambiguated outputsthat are text outputs, numeric outputs, or partial text outputs, sincethe inputs were ambiguous. Similarly, as with the press-and-holdactuation of a key having a symbol character assigned thereto, such analternate type of input member actuation could unambiguously indicate tothe disambiguation routine that the symbol character is desired ratherthan the alphabetic character. In such a circumstance the device mightsimply output as an interpretation of the input a textual interpretationplus the desired symbol character without outputting any variants thatwould be purely alphabetic or purely numeric.

An improved handheld electronic device 1004 in accordance with anotherembodiment of the disclosed and claimed concept is depicted generally inFIG. 20. As a general matter, the handheld electronic device 1004 issubstantially identical in configuration and function to the handheldelectronic device 4, except that the handheld electronic device 1004employs a multiple-axis input device instead of or in addition to thethumbwheel 32. In the depicted exemplary embodiment, the multiple-axisinput device is a track ball 1032 as will be described below. It isnoted, however, that multiple-axis input devices other than the trackball 1032 can be employed without departing from the present concept.For instance, other appropriate multiple-axis input devices couldinclude mechanical devices such as joysticks and the like and/ornon-mechanical devices such as touch pads, track pads and the likeand/or other devices which detect motion or input in other fashions,such as through the use of optical sensors or piezoelectric crystals.

The handheld electronic device 1004 includes a housing 1006 upon whichis disposed a processor unit that includes an input apparatus 1008, anoutput apparatus 1012, a processor 1016, a memory 1020, and a number ofroutines 1022. All of the operations that can be performed on or withthe handheld electronic device 4 can be performed on or with thehandheld electronic device 1004. As such, the features of the handheldelectronic device 4 that are common with the handheld electronic device1004, and this would comprise essentially all of the features of thehandheld electronic device 4, will generally not be repeated.

The output apparatus 1012 includes a display 1060 that provides visualoutput. The exemplary output in FIG. 20 is a plurality of icons 1062that are selectable by the user for the purpose of, for example,initiating the execution on the processor 1016 of a routine 1022 that isrepresented by an icon 1062.

The input apparatus 1008 can be said to comprise a keypad 1024 and thetrack ball 1032, all of which serve as input members. The keypad 1024and the track ball 1032 are advantageously disposed adjacent oneanother. The keypad 1024 comprises a plurality of keys 1028 that areactuatable to provide input to the processor 1016. Many of the keys 1028have assigned thereto a plurality of linguistic elements in theexemplary form of Latin letters. Other keys 1028 can have assignedthereto functions and/or other characters.

For instance, one of the keys 1028 is an <ESCAPE> key 1031 which, whenactuated, provides to the processor 1016 an input that undoes the actionwhich resulted from the immediately preceding input and/or moves theuser to a logically higher position within the logical menu tree managedby a graphical user interface (GUI) routine 1022. The function providedby the <ESCAPE> key 1031 can be used at any logical location within anyportion of the logical menu tree except, perhaps, at a home screen suchas is depicted in FIG. 20. The <ESCAPE> key 1031 is advantageouslydisposed adjacent the track ball 1032 thereby enabling, for example, anunintended or incorrect input from the track ball 1032 to be quicklyundone, i.e., reversed, by an actuation of the adjacent <ESCAPE> key1031.

Another of the keys 1028 is a <MENU> key 1033 which, when actuated,provides to the processor 1016 an input that causes the GUI 1022 togenerate and output on the display 1060 a menu that is appropriate tothe user's current logical location within the logical menu tree. Forinstance, FIG. 21 depicts an exemplary menu 1035A that would beappropriate if the user's current logical location within the logicalmenu tree was viewing an email within an email routine 1022. That is,the menu 1035A provides selectable options that would be appropriate fora user given that the user is, for example, viewing an email within anemail routine 1022. In a similar fashion, FIG. 22 depicts anotherexemplary menu 1035B that would be depicted if the user's currentlogical location within the logical menu tree was within a telephoneroutine 1022.

The track ball 1032 is disposed on the housing 1006 and is freelyrotatable in all directions with respect to the housing 1006. A rotationof the track ball 1032 a predetermined rotational distance with respectto the housing 1006 provides an input to the processor 1016, and suchinputs can be employed by the routines 1022, for example, asnavigational inputs, scrolling inputs, selection inputs, and otherinputs.

For instance, the track ball 1032 is rotatable about a horizontal axis1034A to provide vertical scrolling, navigational, selection, or otherinputs. Similarly, the track ball 1032 is rotatable about a verticalaxis 1034B to provide horizontal scrolling, navigational, selection, orother inputs. Since the track ball 1032 is freely rotatable with respectto the housing 1006, the track ball 1032 is additionally rotatable aboutany other axis (not expressly depicted herein) that lies within theplane of the page of FIG. 20 or that extends out of the plane of thepage of FIG. 20.

The track ball 1032 can be said to be a multiple-axis input devicebecause it provides scrolling, navigational, selection, and other inputsin a plurality of directions or with respect to a plurality of axes,such as providing inputs in both the vertical and the horizontaldirections. It is reiterated that the track ball 1032 is merely one ofmany multiple-axis input devices that could be employed on the handheldelectronic device 1004. As such, mechanical alternatives to the trackball 1032, such as a joystick, might have a limited rotation withrespect to the housing 1006, and non-mechanical alternatives might beimmovable with respect to the housing 1006, yet all are capable ofproviding input in a plurality of directions or along a plurality ofaxes.

The track ball 1032 additionally is translatable toward the housing1006, i.e., into the plane of the page of FIG. 20, to provide additionalinputs. The track ball 1032 could be translated in such a fashion by,for example, a user applying an actuating force to the track ball 1032in a direction toward the housing 1006, such as by pressing on the trackball 1032. The inputs that are provided to the processor 1016 as aresult of a translation of the track ball 1032 in the indicated fashioncan be employed by the routines 1022, for example, as selection inputs,delimiter inputs, or other inputs.

The track ball 1032 is rotatable to provide, for example, navigationalinputs among the icons 1062. For example, FIG. 20 depicts the travel ofan indicator 1066 from the icon 1062A, as is indicated in broken lineswith the indicator 1066A, to the icon 1062B, as is indicated in brokenlines with the indicator 1066B, and onward to the icon 1062C, as isindicated by the indicator 1066C. It is understood that the indicators1066A, 1066B, and 1066C are not necessarily intended to besimultaneously depicted on the display 1060, but rather are intended totogether depict a series of situations and to indicate movement of theindicator 1066 among the icons 1062. The particular location of theindicator 1066 at any given time indicates to a user the particular icon1062, for example, that is the subject of a selection focus of thehandheld electronic device 1004. Whenever an icon 1062 or otherselectable object is the subject of the selection focus, a selectioninput to the processor 1016 will result in the routine 1022 or otherfunction represented by the icon 1062 or other selectable object to beexecuted or initiated.

The movement of the indicator 1066 from the icon 1062A, as indicatedwith the indicator 1066A, to the icon 1062B, as is indicated by theindicator 1066B, was accomplished by rotating the track ball 1032 aboutthe vertical axis 1034B to provide a horizontal navigational input. Asmentioned above, a rotation of the track ball 1032 a predeterminedrotational distance results in an input to the processor 1016. In thepresent example, the track ball 1032 would have been rotated about thevertical axis 1034B a rotational distance equal to three times thepredetermined rotational distance since the icon 1062B is disposed threeicons 1062 to the right the icon 1062A. Such rotation of the track ball1032 likely would have been made in a single motion by the user, butthis need not necessarily be the case.

Similarly, the movement of the indicator 1066 from the icon 1062B, asindicated by the indicator 1066B, to the icon 1062C, as is indicated bythe indicator 1066C, was accomplished by the user rotating the trackball 1032 about the horizontal axis 1034A to provide a verticalnavigational input. In so doing, the track ball 1032 would have beenrotated a rotational distance equal to two times the predeterminedrotational distance since the icon 1062C is disposed two icons 1062below the icon 1062B. Such rotation of the track ball 1032 likely wouldhave been made in a single motion by the user, but this need notnecessarily be the case.

It thus can be seen that the track ball 1032 is rotatable in variousdirections to provide various navigational and other inputs to theprocessor 1016. Rotational inputs by the track ball 1032 typically areinterpreted by whichever routine 1022 is active on the handheldelectronic device 1004 as inputs that can be employed by such routine1022. For example, the GUI 1022 that is active on the handheldelectronic device 1004 in FIG. 20 requires vertical and horizontalnavigational inputs to move the indicator 1066, and thus the selectionfocus, among the icons 1062. If a user rotated the track ball 1032 aboutan axis oblique to the horizontal axis 1034A and the vertical axis1034B, the GUI 1022 likely would resolve such an oblique rotation of thetrack ball 1032 into vertical and horizontal components which could thenbe interpreted by the GUI 1022 as vertical and horizontal navigationalmovements, respectively. In such a situation, if one of the resolvedvertical and horizontal navigational movements is of a greater magnitudethan the other, the resolved navigational movement having the greatermagnitude would be employed by the GUI 1022 as a navigational input inthat direction to move the indicator 1066 and the selection focus, andthe other resolved navigational movement would be ignored by the GUI1022, for example.

When the indicator 1066 is disposed on the icon 1062C, as is indicatedby the indicator 1066C, the selection focus of the handheld electronicdevice 1004 is on the icon 1062C. As such, a translation of the trackball 1032 toward the housing 1006 as described above would provide aninput to the processor 1016 that would be interpreted by the GUI 1022 asa selection input with respect to the icon 1062C. In response to such aselection input, the processor 1016 would, for example, begin to executea routine 1022 that is represented by the icon 1062C. It thus can beunderstood that the track ball 1032 is rotatable to provide navigationaland other inputs in multiple directions, assuming that the routine 1022that is currently active on the handheld electronic device 1004 canemploy such navigational or other inputs in a plurality of directions,and can also be translated to provide a selection input or other input.

Rotational movement inputs from the track ball 1032 could be employed tonavigate among, for example, the menus 1035A and 1035B. For instance,after an actuation of the <MENU> key 1033 and an outputting by the GUI1022 of a resultant menu, the user could rotate the track ball 1032 toprovide scrolling inputs to successively highlight the variousselectable options within the menu. Once the desired selectable optionis highlighted, i.e., is the subject of the selection focus, the usercould translate the track ball 1032 toward the housing 1006 to provide aselection input as to the highlighted selectable option. In this regard,it is noted that the <MENU> key 1033 is advantageously disposed adjacentthe track ball 1032. This enables, for instance, the generation of amenu by an actuation the <MENU> key 1033, conveniently followed by arotation the track ball 1032 to highlight a desired selectable option,for instance, followed by a translation of the track ball 1032 towardthe housing 1006 to provide a selection input to initiate the operationrepresented by the highlighted selectable option.

It is further noted that one of the additional inputs that can beprovided by a translation of the track ball 1032 is an input that causesthe GUI 1022 to output a reduced menu. For instance, a translation ofthe track ball 1032 toward the housing 1066 could result in thegeneration and output of a more limited version of a menu than wouldhave been generated if the <MENU> key 1033 had instead been actuated.Such a reduced menu would therefore be appropriate to the user's currentlogical location within the logical menu tree and would provide thoseselectable options which the user would have a high likelihood ofselecting. Rotational movements of the track ball 1032 could providescrolling inputs to scroll among the selectable options within thereduced menu 1035C, and translation movements of the track ball 1032could provide selection inputs to initiate whatever function isrepresented by the selectable option within the reduce menu 1032 that iscurrently highlighted.

By way of example, if instead of actuating the <MENU> key 1033 togenerate the menu 1035A the user translated the track ball 1032, the GUI1022 would generate and output on the display the reduced menu 1035Cthat is depicted generally in FIG. 23. The exemplary reduced menu 1035Cprovides as selectable options a number of the selectable options fromthe menu 1035A that the user would be most likely to select. As such, auser seeking to perform a relatively routine function could, instead ofactuating the <MENU> key 1033 to display the full menu 1035A, translatethe track ball 1032 to generate and output the reduced menu 1035C. Theuser could then conveniently rotate the track ball 1032 to providescrolling inputs to highlight a desired selectable option, and couldthen translate the track ball 1032 to provide a selection input whichwould initiate the function represented by the selectable option in thereduced menu 1035C that is currently highlighted.

In the present exemplary embodiment, many of the menus that could begenerated as a result of an actuation of the <MENU> key 1033 couldinstead be generated and output in reduced form as a reduced menu inresponse to a translation of the track ball 1032 toward the housing1006. It is noted, however, that a reduced menu might not be availablefor each full menu that could be generated from an actuation of the<MENU> key 1033. Depending upon the user's specific logical locationwithin the logical menu tree, a translation of the track ball 1032 mightbe interpreted as a selection input rather than an input seeking areduced menu. For instance, a translation of the track ball 1032 on thehome screen depicted in FIG. 20 would result in a selection input as towhichever of the icons 1062 is the subject of the input focus. If the<MENU> key 1033 was actuated on the home screen, the GUI 1022 wouldoutput a menu appropriate to the home screen, such as a full menu of allof the functions that are available on the handheld electronic device1004, including those that might not be represented by icons 1062 on thehome screen.

FIG. 24 depicts a quantity of text that is output on the display 1060,such as during a text entry operation or during a text editingoperation, for example. The indicator 1066 is depicted in FIG. 24 asbeing initially over the letter “L”, as is indicated with the indicator1066D, and having been moved horizontally to the letter “I”, as isindicated by the indicator 1066E, and thereafter vertically moved to theletter “W”, as is indicated by the indicator 1066F. In a fashion similarto that in FIG. 20, the cursor 1066 was moved among the letters “L”,“I”, and “W” through the use of horizontal and vertical navigationalinputs resulting from rotations of the track ball 1032. In the exampleof FIG. 24, however, each rotation of the track ball 1032 thepredetermined rotational distance would move the indicator 1066 to thenext adjacent letter. As such, in moving the indicator 1066 between theletters “L” and “I,” the user would have rotated the track ball 1032about the vertical axis 1034B a rotational distance equal to nine timesthe predetermined rotational distance, for example, since “I” isdisposed nine letters to the right of “L”.

FIG. 25 depicts an output 1064 on the display 1060 during, for example,a text entry operation that employs the disambiguation routine 1022. Theoutput 1064 can be said to comprise a text component 1068 and a variantcomponent 1072. The variant component 1072 comprises a default portion1076 and a variant portion 1080. FIG. 25 depicts the indicator 1066G onthe variant 1080 “HAV”, such as would result from a rotation of thetrack ball 1032 about the horizontal axis 1034A to provide a downwardvertical scrolling input. In this regard, it is understood that arotation of the track ball 1032 a distance equal to the predeterminedrotational distance would have moved the indicator 1066 from a position(not expressly depicted herein) disposed on the default portion 1076 tothe position disposed on the first variant 1080, as is depicted in FIG.25. Since such a rotation of the track ball 1032 resulted in the firstvariant 1080 “HAV” being highlighted with the indicator 1066G, the textcomponent 1068 likewise includes the text “HAV” immediately preceding acursor 1084A.

FIG. 26 depict an alternative output 1064A having an alternative variantcomponent 1072A having a default portion 1076A and a variant portion1080A. The variant component 1072A is horizontally arranged, meaningthat the default portion 1076A and the variants 1080A are disposedhorizontally adjacent one another and can be sequentially selected bythe user through the use of horizontal scrolling inputs, such as by theuser rotating the track ball 1032 the predetermined rotational distanceabout the vertical axis 1034B. This is to be contrasted with the variantcomponent 1072 of FIG. 25 wherein the default portion 1076 and thevariants 1080 are vertically arranged, and which can be sequentiallyselected by the user through the user of vertical scrolling inputs withthe track ball 1032.

In this regard, it can be understood that the track ball 1032 canprovide both the vertical scrolling inputs employed in conjunction withthe output 1064 as well as the horizontal scrolling inputs employed inconjunction with the output 1064A. For instance, the disambiguationroutine 1022 potentially could allow the user to customize the operationthereof by electing between the vertically arranged variant component1072 and the horizontally arranged variant component 1072A. The trackball 1032 can provide scrolling inputs in the vertical direction and/orthe horizontal direction, as needed, and thus is operable to provideappropriate scrolling inputs regardless of whether the user chooses thevariant component 1072 or the variant component 1072A. That is, thetrack ball 1032 can be rotated about the horizontal axis 1034A toprovide the vertical scrolling inputs employed in conjunction with thevariant component 1072, and also can be rotated about the vertical axis1034B to provide the horizontal scrolling inputs that are employed inconjunction with the variant component 1064A. The track ball 1032 thuscould provide appropriate navigational, strolling, selection, and otherinputs depending upon the needs of the routine 1022 active at any timeon the handheld electronic device 1004. The track ball 1032 enables suchnavigational, strolling, selection, and other inputs to be intuitivelygenerated by the user through rotations of the track ball 1032 indirections appropriate to the active routine 1022, such as might beindicated on the display 1060. Other examples will be apparent.

It can further be seen from FIG. 26 that the variant component 1072Aadditionally includes a value 1081 that is indicative of the languageinto which the disambiguation routine 1022 will interpret ambiguous textinput. In the example depicted in FIG. 26, the language is English.

As can be seen in FIG. 27, the value 1081 can be selected by the user tocause the displaying of a list 1083 of alternative values 1085. Thealternative values 1085 are indicative of selectable alternativelanguages into which the disambiguation routine 1022 can interpretambiguous input. A selection of the value 1081 would have been achieved,for example, by the user providing horizontal scrolling inputs with thetrack ball 1032 to cause (not expressly depicted herein) the indicator1066 to be disposed over the value 1081, and by thereafter translatingthe track ball 1032 toward the housing 1006 to provide a selectioninput.

The alternative values 1085 in the list 1083 are vertically arrangedwith respect to one another and with respect to the value 1081. As such,a vertical scrolling input with the track ball 1032 can result in avertical movement of the indicator 10661 to a position on one of thealternative values 1085 which, in the present example, is thealternative value 1085 “FR”, which is representative of the Frenchlanguage. The alternative value 1085 “FR” could become selected by theuser in any of a variety of fashions, such as by actuating the trackball 1032 again, by continuing to enter text, or in other fashions. Itthus can be understood from FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 that the track ball 1032can be rotated to provide horizontal scrolling inputs and, whenappropriate, to additionally provide vertical scrolling inputs and, whenappropriate, to additionally provide selection inputs, for example.

FIG. 28 depicts another exemplary output on the display 1060 such asmight be employed by a data entry routine 1022. The exemplary output ofFIG. 28 comprises a plurality of input fields 1087 with correspondingdescriptions. A cursor 1084D, when disposed within one of the inputfields 1087, indicates to the user that an input focus of the handheldelectronic device 1004 is on that input field 1087. That is, data suchas text, numbers, symbols, and the like, will be entered into whicheverinput field 1087 is active, i.e., is the subject of the input focus. Itis understood that the handheld electronic device 1004 might performother operations or take other actions depending upon which input field1087 is the subject of the input focus.

Navigational inputs from the track ball 1032 advantageously enable thecursor 1084D, and thus the input focus, to be switched, i.e., shifted,among the various input fields 1087. For example, the input fields 1087could include the input fields 1087A, 1087B, and 1087C. FIG. 28 depictsthe cursor 1084D as being disposed in the input field 1087C, indicatingthat the input field 1087C is the subject of the input focus of thehandheld electronic device 1004. It is understood that the cursor 1084D,and thus the input focus, can be shifted from the input field 1087C tothe input field 1087A, which is disposed adjacent and vertically abovethe input field 1087C, by providing a vertical scrolling input in theupward direction with the track ball 1032. That is, the track ball 1032would be rotated the predetermined rotational distance about thehorizontal axis 1034. Similarly, the cursor 1084D, and thus the inputfocus, can be shifted from the input field 1087A to the input field1087B, which is disposed adjacent and to the right of the input field1087A, by providing a horizontal scrolling input to the right with thetrack ball 1032. That is, such a horizontal scrolling input could beprovided by rotating the track ball the predetermined rotationaldistance about the vertical axis 1034B. It thus can be seen that thetrack ball 1032 is rotatable in a plurality of directions about aplurality axes to provide navigational, scrolling, and other inputs in aplurality of directions among a plurality of input fields 1087. Othertypes of inputs and/or inputs in other applications will be apparent.

Since the keypad 1024 and the track ball 1032 are advantageouslydisposed adjacent one another, the user can operate the track ball 1032substantially without moving the user's hands away from the keypad 1024during a text entry operation or other operation. It thus can be seenthat the track ball 1032 combines the benefits of both the thumbwheel 32and the <NEXT> key 40. It is noted, however, that other embodiments ofthe handheld electronic device 1004 (not expressly depicted herein)could include both the track ball 1032 and a <NEXT> key such as the<NEXT> key 40 without departing from the present concept.

While specific embodiments of the disclosed and claimed concept havebeen described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in theart that various modifications and alternatives to those details couldbe developed in light of the overall teachings of the disclosure.Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to beillustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the disclosed andclaimed concept which is to be given the full breadth of the claimsappended and any and all equivalents thereof.

1. A method of enabling input on a handheld electronic device thatcomprises an output apparatus, an input apparatus comprising a pluralityof input members, and a memory, at least some of the input members eachhaving assigned thereto a number of alphabetic characters, at least someof the input members each having assigned thereto at least a firstalphabetic character and at least a first non-alphabetic character, themethod comprising: responsive to each of an initial number of inputmember actuations in a series of input member actuations, processing theinput member actuation and any preceding input member actuations in theseries as an ambiguous input and outputting a disambiguated textinterpretation; and responsive to at least one of a number ofpredetermined events, processing at least a current input memberactuation in the series as a non-alphabetic input and outputting anon-alphabetic character assigned to the current input member.
 2. Themethod of claim 1, further comprising: making a determination that eachinput member actuation in the series is an actuation of an input memberhaving as a non-alphabetic character assigned thereto a numericcharacter assigned thereto; employing the making of the determination asone of the number of predetermined events; and outputting a numericinterpretation of the series.
 3. The method of claim 2, furthercomprising outputting in a list the numeric interpretation and a numberof disambiguated text interpretations of the series.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, further comprising outputting the numeric interpretation in thelist at a position that is based at least in part upon a quantity ofinput member actuations in the series.
 5. The method of claim 4, furthercomprising: with each of at least some successive input memberactuations in the series, outputting the numeric interpretation in thelist at a position of progressively increasing priority.
 6. The methodof claim 4, further comprising: outputting as the list a default portionand a variant portion; and outputting the numeric interpretation as thedefault portion responsive at least in part to the quantity of inputmember actuations in the series reaching a predetermined quantity. 7.The method of claim 6 wherein the memory has stored therein a pluralityof objects comprising a plurality of language objects and a plurality offrequency objects, at least some of the language objects each beingassociated with a frequency object, and further comprising outputtingthe numeric interpretation as the default portion responsive at least inpart to an absence of a language object that matches the series.
 8. Themethod of claim 1 wherein the memory has stored therein a plurality ofobjects comprising a plurality of language objects and a plurality offrequency objects, at least some of the language objects each beingassociated with a frequency object, and further comprising: making adetermination that no language object corresponds with the series;employing the making of the determination as one of the number ofpredetermined events; and outputting as an interpretation of the seriesa disambiguated text interpretation of the initial input memberactuations plus a symbol character assigned to the current input member.9. The method of claim 1, further comprising: making a determinationthat the current input member actuation is a press-and-hold actuation ofa predetermined duration; employing the making of the determination asone of the number of predetermined events; and outputting as a proposedinterpretation of the series a disambiguated text interpretation of theinitial input member actuations and a symbol character assigned to thecurrent input member.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:outputting in a list the proposed interpretation and a number ofdisambiguated text interpretations of the series; and outputting theproposed interpretation in the list at a position of relatively higherpriority than at least some of the disambiguated text interpretations.11. A handheld electronic device comprising: a processor apparatuscomprising a processor and a memory; an input apparatus being structuredto provide input to the processor and comprising a plurality of inputmembers, at least some of the input members each having assigned theretoa number of alphabetic characters, at least some of the input memberseach having assigned thereto at least a first alphabetic character andat least a first non-alphabetic character; an output apparatusstructured to receive output signals from the processor apparatus; thememory further having stored therein a number of routines which, whenexecuted on the processor, cause the handheld electronic device toperform operations comprising: responsive to each of an initial numberof input member actuations in a series of input member actuations,processing the input member actuation and any preceding input memberactuations in the series as an ambiguous input and outputting adisambiguated text interpretation; and responsive to at least one of anumber of predetermined events, processing at least a current inputmember actuation in the series as a non-alphabetic input and outputtinga non-alphabetic character assigned to the current input member.
 12. Thehandheld electronic device of claim 11 wherein the operations furthercomprise: making a determination that each input member actuation in theseries is an actuation of an input member having as a non-alphabeticcharacter assigned thereto a numeric character assigned thereto;employing the making of the determination as one of the number ofpredetermined events; and outputting a numeric interpretation of theseries.
 13. The handheld electronic device of claim 12 wherein theoperations further comprise outputting in a list the numericinterpretation and a number of disambiguated text interpretations of theseries.
 14. The handheld electronic device of claim 13 wherein theoperations further comprise outputting the numeric interpretation in thelist at a position that is based at least in part upon a quantity ofinput member actuations in the series.
 15. The handheld electronicdevice of claim 14 wherein the operations further comprise: with each ofat least some successive input member actuations in the series,outputting the numeric interpretation in the list at a position ofprogressively increasing priority.
 16. The handheld electronic device ofclaim 14 wherein the operations further comprise: outputting as the lista default portion and a variant portion; and outputting the numericinterpretation as the default portion responsive at least in part to thequantity of input member actuations in the series reaching apredetermined quantity.
 17. The handheld electronic device of claim 16wherein the memory has stored therein a plurality of objects comprisinga plurality of language objects and a plurality of frequency objects, atleast some of the language objects each being associated with afrequency object, and wherein the operations further comprise outputtingthe numeric interpretation as the default portion responsive at least inpart to an absence of a language object that matches the series.
 18. Thehandheld electronic device of claim 11 wherein the memory has storedtherein a plurality of objects comprising a plurality of languageobjects and a plurality of frequency objects, at least some of thelanguage objects each being associated with a frequency object, andwherein the operations further comprise: making a determination that nolanguage object corresponds with the series; employing the making of thedetermination as one of the number of predetermined events; andoutputting as an interpretation of the series a disambiguated textinterpretation of the initial input member actuations plus a symbolcharacter assigned to the current input member.
 19. The handheldelectronic device of claim 11 wherein the operations further comprise:making a determination that the current input member actuation is apress-and-hold actuation of a predetermined duration; employing themaking of the determination as one of the number of predeterminedevents; and outputting as a proposed interpretation of the series adisambiguated text interpretation of the initial input member actuationsand a symbol character assigned to the current input member.
 20. Thehandheld electronic device of claim 19 wherein the operations furthercomprise: outputting in a list the proposed interpretation and a numberof disambiguated text interpretations of the series; and outputting theproposed interpretation in the list at a position of relatively higherpriority than at least some of the disambiguated text interpretations.